Dec. 9, 2004
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's women's basketball team (3-2) stays on the road this week for its fifth and sixth-straight games away from Logan, as it travels to Albuquerque, N.M. Friday, Dec. 10 to play San Diego (3-4) at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the Southwest Airlines Lobo Shootout, hosted by the University of New Mexico.
Depending on the outcome of Friday's game, the Aggies will face either host New Mexico or Bowling Green in a second round match-up on Saturday at either 6 or 8 p.m.
With a 3-2 start this season, Utah State currently sits in third-place in the Big West and has matched its best start since going a similar 3-2 to open the 1984-85 season. The Aggies finished 9-19 that season. USU has had three wins this early in a season just three other times - the 1984-85 season (3-2), the 1978-79 season (5-0), and the 1974-75 season (5-0). The Aggies' last winning season was established during the 1978-79 season as that team finished with a 14-10 record. USU hadn't recorded its third win last season until a 63-60 triumph at Long Beach State on Jan. 31, 2004.
Freshman point guard Taylor Richards, the shortest member of Utah State's basketball team this season at 5-4, is currently leading the team in scoring (11.4 ppg), assists (4.6 apg), field-goal percentage (52.4), three-point field-goal percentage (62.5), and is at present, second to Kalhie Quinones (13) for the team lead in steals (10).
The Toreros of San Diego are 3-4 on the year, following a 68-47 home loss to Southern California on Tuesday night. Friday's game with the Aggies will be the first neutral court game for the Toreros, who are 1-3 on the road this season. One of USD's most recent losses came against a future WAC opponent of USU's, Fresno State. The Bulldogs had the upper hand, recording the 68-43 victory. The Toreros have also already played two teams from the Big West as they lost at Long Beach State, 80-69, on Nov. 11, then downed UC Riverside on the road, 73-53.
The Toreros are led by freshman post Amber Sprague who is averaging 15.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while sophomore forward Sabine Loewe is averaging 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. USD is shooting 42.0 percent from the field as a team and averaging 61.3 points per game. The Toreros return three starters and nine letterwinners from last year's team that went 7-22 on the season. USD is coached by Kathy Marpe who is 285-379 in 24 years as the Toreros head coach and 372-442 in 31 years as a collegiate head coach.
All Utah State women's basketball games can once again be heard live on KLGN (1390 AM) in Logan. They can also be heard on the web by going to www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on the Listen link.
